The technical aspects of photography require enough of your attention to master.
But you can't forget that there are artistic considerations to make as well.
That includes developing your personal photography style.
By developing your own aesthetic, you develop your identity as a photographer, too.
Whether that's through the way you compose or light a shot, the way you process images, or some combination thereof, having a clear idea of what your photography style is will only help you create more impactful photos.
If you aren't sure where to start with developing your photography style, here's a few pointers using portraits as an example.
Editor's Tip: See how you can bring style and sophistication to your maternity photos, portraits, and newborn photography.
Take a Lot of Photos
Perhaps the most straightforward way that you can begin to develop your photography style is by taking a lot of photos.
You might already have an idea of the vibe you want in your photos, but you won't be able to perfect it until you've taken shot after shot after shot.
The more photos you take, the more fodder you have for identifying the things you like and the things you don't.
From there, you can incorporate what works, continue to work on what doesn't, and clarify who you are as a photographer and what you have to say in your photos.
But don't just start snapping away for the sake of meeting some number count of photos each day.
Instead, be purposeful with each photo you take, and ask yourself how it fits (or doesn't fit) into your creative vision. Notice how the two images above have a consistent look and feel. That didn't happen overnight!
To help you along, take some time to look at what other photographers are doing.
By creating collections of photos that you like, you can more easily see where your tastes are and plan your photo shoots to show those tastes more effectively.
Learn More:
- How to Become a Better Photographer Without Taking Pictures
- These Three Tricks Will Help You Create a Beautiful Portrait
Experiment With Colors, Textures, and Forms
When you think about what you like about other photos, what do you think of?
Chances are it isn't how a model is posed in a portrait or how a landscape is framed.
Instead, you likely think of things like colors, light, shapes, shadows, and textures.
Well, you can add many of these elements to your photos by incorporating things like wardrobe selections and props.
In the image above, for example, though the portrait is taken in a beautiful place, what catches the eye first is the outfit the model is wearing.
The deeply saturated color of the model's gorgeous gown and it's off-the-shoulder fit with a beautifully flowy lower half give this photo a touch of formality and sophistication.
In this example, the bright white of the dress helps the model stand out in the photo, but it also gives her an almost angelic appearance.
Combined with the fairy tale surroundings, the form-fitting dress gives this shot a feeling of whimsy and magic.
So, you can see how the choice of wardrobe and how it works with the setting in which a portrait is taken can help create a strong aesthetic.
But wardrobe choices aren't the only thing you can use to help more clearly define your photography style.
Props - when used appropriately - can bring a fun element to a portrait while supporting the overall aesthetic in the image.
In the example above, the photographer has a light, bright style.
That style is enhanced not only with the light, brightly colored clothing of the models, but also in the dainty floral crown that the expecting mom is wearing.
In this shot, we again see how a portrait prop has been used to tie the shot together.
The floral crown adds some color and texture to the model's hair and its small flowers work beautifully with the flower-filled location where the photo was taken.
Adding these visual elements is an important part of not just developing a style for your photos, but for creating cohesion between different elements in the shot, too.
Editor's Tip: Make your models comfortable and beautiful at the same time. Find out how.
Critique Your Work (and Seek Out Critiques, Too)
The saying goes that you're your own worst critic.
But there's value in taking a good, hard look at the photos you take because it can help you identify what you like and what you don't.
Just like it's important to find inspiration by looking at other people's photos, it's necessary to view your own work with a critical eye.
Ask yourself what's working and what isn't, think about ways to make your photos more impactful, and identify things you see repeated in your work.
By taking a critical look at your photos, you're only doing yourself a favor.
Sometimes, it's the final step needed to identify what your photography style might be, because it might have been showing up in your photos in one form or another all along!
Learn More:
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